Today I am kicking ass. I’m in the store project managing the buildings. Progress is slower than anticipated with the revamp of the store in fact its in chaos complete and utter bedlam and we are behind schedule big time. So unlike the last few days (which I have been told have been long and full on) right, I’m in. Â What a lovely day everyone is about to have.Â No time for tea or scratching of heads, no pondering, deliberating or thinking we are on deadline and we are working to aÂ list.

So excuse the rushed post, I have to leave any second to meet the boys. I suggested by the way a 4am start but that got laughed at for a full 5 minutes (hey ho) thatâs tomorrow when Gem and I are in styling the whole thing!

Before leavingÂ Â I thought I would quickly chuck in a point or two about finishing touches. Finishing touches are like a 5-minute facelift. Suddenly in no time at all you can elevate a shelf, a mantle, a table your sofa from drab to fab by accessorising it beautifully and in no time. I’ve spoken before about my hate of putting things in rows, rows of lights over a counter, rows of things on a shelf, for me (and its personal) its to boring, to easy, takes no skill. I prefer to go down the harder route and display my stuff in a more 3 dimensional way (but I’ve spoken on that subject before) today we are talking trays.

Yes trays, and the Americans do this so very well. Anything small, itty bitty or teeny-weeny plonk on a tray or platter not only will it ground it, it will make your collection feel a little more sophisticated and less cluttered. You only need to do this if you happen to have a lot of small stuff; Â the odd thing no worries let that hang out with everything else. So Iâm talking little things paper weights, keys, candles, bottles plonk onÂ a tray and suddenly you’ve elevated the whole thing. Talking of trays one of my decorating tricks is to go to builders yard and buy for a couple of quid roof slate which I then use as platters. Platters for plonking things on like small accessories but even more amazing food. We have the coolest caterers that make all the food for the Design School and they serve the food on the most beautiful slate platters. When I asked them where they got them from as they are the perfect size they said the builders yard! Genius no so off I went and did the exactly same thing!